An image processing apparatus enables image data to be handled easily after photography. A server apparatus patterns images and controls information in correspondence with user identifiers. A digital camera photographs a subject, obtains a pattern image and a piece of control information from the server apparatus, and judges whether a portion of the image data obtained by photography matches the obtained pattern image. If a matching portion exists, then the digital camera operates in accordance with an operation instruction included in the piece of control information. If the operation instruction is mosaic processing, then the digital camera performs mosaic processing to the matching portion. If the operation instruction is image replacement, then the digital camera replaces the matching portion with a predetermined image or performs CG processing on the matching portion. If the operation instruction is frame deletion, then the digital camera deletes the image data.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An image processing apparatus that performs image processing on a photographic image according to a result of a comparison of the photographic image with a reference image, the image processing apparatus comprising: a first image storage unit operable to store the photographic image generated by photography; an instruction storage unit operable to store a processing instruction that instructs image processing; a second image storage unit operable to store the reference image, which has been generated in advance; a judgment unit operable to judge whether or not a portion corresponding to the reference image exists in the photographic image; an execution unit operable to, according to a result of the judgment performed by the judgment unit, perform the image processing on the photographic image in accordance with the processing instruction; a location obtaining unit operable to obtain a present location at which the image processing apparatus is located; and a range judgment unit operable to judge whether or not the obtained present location is outside a predetermined range, wherein, when the range judgment unit judges that the present location is outside the predetermined range, the judgment unit performs the judgment of whether or not the portion corresponding to the reference image exists in the photographic image.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 16, 2005
December 13, 2011
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